Intraoral acupressure apparatus

ABSTRACT

An intraoral acupressure apparatus and method of treating a user are disclosed. The apparatus may include a base shaped to conform to a palate of a user, the base configured to be removably held adjacent to the palate in a predetermined position relative to acupressure points located on the user&#39;s palate. The apparatus may additionally include one or more projections extending out from the base and configured to contact one or more acupressure points of the user&#39;s palate when the apparatus is removably held in the predetermined position. The base may be configured to be removably held in the predetermined position without wire hooks or clasps.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/592,297, filed Nov. 23, 2009, which is incorporated byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to the acupressure treatment and morespecifically to a method and apparatus for applying pressure and/orstimulation to intraoral sites to elicit a response in a person. Forexample, the apparatus may be used to elicit responses for habitcontrol, smoking, weight loss, anxiety treatment and/or other responsesfrom acupressure/acupuncture stimulation.

Examples of related devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,296 issued toMcCall, which discloses an acupressure device for the ear. Otheracupressure devices for the ear includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,143 issuedto Tanaka and U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,574 issued to Sun. Other patentsdescribe devices that are used on the human hand and provide a means ofapplying the stimulus to various parts of the body, including U.S. Pat.No. 3,923,064 issued to Leupold and U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,586 issued toCao. Finally, other patents described devices that may be applied to theskin of various areas on the body, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,647issued to Ferber, U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,176 issued to Chang, and U.S. Pat.No. 5,250,067 issued to Gelfer et al. The complete disclosures of theabove patents are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure includes an apparatus made to cover the palatalarea or the upper mouth. The apparatus may be either a complete orpartial covering of the palate. This appliance has projections thatextend towards the palate into and onto the tissues to stimulate areasof acupressure/acupuncture stimulation. These projections may be fixedor adjustable. The adjustments to the projections would be to modify thedepth, extension, and/or place of acupressure/acupuncture stimulation.

It has been shown that applying stimulation through a manner ofacupressure/acupuncture to sites intraorally by using an intraoralappliance may elicit a response used in habit control, such as elicitphysiological responses for smoking, weight loss, anxiety treatmentand/or other responses from acupressure/acupuncture stimulation.

The appliance may be held or retained by wires, clasps, suction,adhesives, cohesion and/or precision of fit. The fabrication of theappliance may be through direct methods in the mouth and/or indirectmethods. The indirect methods may include impressions, models, 3-Dscans, radiology modeling, ultra-sound, and/or other techniques torender models and forms of the palate and other areas of the mouth. Themodels may be castings, plaster, and/or digital models to be used infabrication of the appliances.

The appliances may be fabricated using resins, polymers, metals,plastics, and/or other rigid and/or flexible material(s) and/orcombinations of materials. The projections from the palatal side of theappliance may vary in location, depth, and/or shape. The location mayvary with patient anatomy and required area of acupressure/acupuncturestimulation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an example of an intraoralacupressure apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the intraoral acupressure apparatus of FIG.1 with the projections located at spots corresponding to acupressuretreatment areas.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the intraoral acupressure apparatus ofFIG. 1 taken along lines 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of another example of the intraoralacupressure apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the intraoral acupressure apparatus of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the intraoral acupressure apparatus ofFIG. 4 taken along lines 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a user's palate and examples of areas ofthe user's palate that may affect other parts of the user's body.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the user's palate of FIG. 7, shown withthe intraoral acupressure apparatus of FIG. 4 installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an intraoral acupressure apparatus 10that may be formed to a particular user's palate. Unless explicitlystated, intraoral acupressure apparatus 10 may additionally, oralternatively, include one or more components of one or more otherintraoral acupressure apparatus described in the present disclosure. Thepalate apparatus 14 is initially made from an impression of the user'spalate. The impression is typically made from one of many suitablematerials used in surgical and/or dental applications and may be madefrom any acceptable method for making a direct or indirect impression ofthe palate region of the mouth.

Once the impression of the user's palate has been made, an apparatus ofthe impression is created using one or more suitable materials, such asplastics, polymers, resin, and/or a combination of materials to create athin rigid yet somewhat flexible cast of the user's palate. After theapparatus has been made, acupressure points are located on the apparatusthat will correspond to areas on the palate that are known to have areasthat may be stimulated for acupressure treatment. These acupressurepoints will vary depending on the anatomy of the user. In one example,the acupressure points on the palate are located and marked with asurgical marking pen on the user's palate. The markings are transferredto the impression and then located on the palate apparatus 14. Theprojections 11 are then located on the palate apparatus 14. The areas ofacupressure are indicated intra orally and this information transferredto the final model.

Once the acupressure points have been located on the apparatus of thepalate, projections 11 are added to the apparatus that extends out thetop of the palate apparatus. The projections may have various shapesincluding bead, spherical, nodule, spike and/or pointed. The size of theprojection may vary and may be adjusted. When the palate apparatus isworn by the user, the projections 11 extend into the soft tissue of theuser's palate stimulating that region of the user's palate.

The palate apparatus 14 apparatus may be kept in place using variousmeans. In the figures, the palate apparatus is kept in place by addingwire hooks 12 and 13 to the palate apparatus that secures the apparatusto the user's palate. Other means for keeping the palate apparatus inplace in the user's mouth are available, including clasps, suction,adhesives, cohesion, and/or precision fit.

FIGS. 4-6 show another example of intraoral acupressure apparatus 10,which is generally indicated at 20. Unless explicitly stated, intraoralacupressure apparatus 20 may additionally, or alternatively, include oneor more components of one or more other intraoral acupressure apparatusdescribed in the present disclosure. Intraoral acupressure apparatus 20may include any suitable structure configured to provide acupressurestimulation to the palate of the use. Apparatus 20 may be manufacturedand/or made in any suitable way(s). For example, apparatus 20 may becustom made to a user's palate.

The intraoral acupressure apparatus may, for example, include a base 22and one or more projections 24. The base may include a palate surface 26and a lingual surface 28. The base may be configured to be inserted intoa user's mouth placed adjacent to the palate in a predeterminedposition. When in the predetermined position, the palate surface may beadjacent to the palate and the lingual surface may be spaced from thepalate relative to the palate surface (and/or adjacent to a user'stongue relative to the palate surface). In other words, the palatesurface may face the user's palate, while the lingual surface may faceaway from the palate in the predetermined position.

In some examples, base 22 may be free from or without any apertures oropenings. In some examples, base 22 may be configured to not restrictmovement of the user's tongue. Specifically, base 22 may be configuredto be free from and/or without structure(s) that hold a user's tonguedown (such as to ensure the tongue does not obstruct a person's airway).

The base may be shaped to conform to a palate of a user. For example,the base may be arcuate in shape (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6) tocorrespond to the arcuate shape of a user's palate. In some examples,the base may cover a substantial portion or all of the user's palate.Base 22 may be made from one or more polymer materials and/or othermaterials discussed in the present disclosure. In some examples, base 22may be made with one or more materials configured to allow inspection ofthe user's palate when the base is removably held in the predeterminedposition. Such materials may, for example, allow inspection of theuser's palate for one or more pressure points outside of the one or moreacupressure points contacted by the projection(s) when the base isremovably held in the predetermined position. Those pressure points may,in some examples, appear as blanched tissue.

Additionally, base 22 may be configured to be removably held adjacent tothe palate in a predetermined position relative to acupressure pointslocated on the user's palate. The predetermined position may, forexample, include a position in which projections 24 contact and/orprovide acupressure to one or more areas of the user's palate but inwhich the base does not apply pressure (or applies minimal pressure) toany other areas of the user's palate or mouth. Base 22 may be removablyheld in the predetermined position without wire hooks and/or clasps(such as wire hooks and/or clasps that attach the base to a user'steeth). For example, base 22 may be removably held in the predeterminedposition via a precision fit in the user's mouth.

An example of a precision fit may include where the base is configurednot to contact any side of the user's teeth, other than the lingualsides of one or more of the user's teeth, when the base is removablyheld in the predetermined position. For example, the base may include aperimeter (or perimeter portion) 30 that includes a plurality of ridges32 and a plurality of depressions 32 shaped to conform to the innersides (and/or lingual sides) of one or more of the user's teeth. Anexample of apparatus 20 in the predetermined position is shown in FIG.8.

In some examples, the lingual surface may have texture 36 that isconfigured to facilitate removal of apparatus 20 from the predeterminedposition and/or from the mouth of the user. For example, texture 36 mayinclude a plurality of grooves, protuberances, and/or other structure(s)configured to facilitate gripping of apparatus 20. Although FIGS. 4-5show parallel grooves, texture 36 may alternatively, or additionally,include non-parallel grooves and/or non-parallel structure(s).

Projections 24 may include any suitable structure configured to contactone or more acupressure points and/or areas of a user's palate when thebase is in the predetermined position. The projections may be attachedto and/or formed with base 22, and/or may extend out from the base.Projections 24 may be any suitable shape(s) and/or size(s). For example,projections 24 may be about 4 mm in diameter and/or other suitablediameter(s). Although two projections 24 are shown, apparatus 20 mayinclude any suitable number of projections, such as one, three, four,five, six, seven, or more.

In some examples, one or more of projections 24 may be configured tocontact at least one acupressure point that promotes appetitesuppression when the base is removably held in the predeterminedposition. Projections 24 may additionally, or alternatively, contact oneor more other acupressure points that affect the same and/or other partsof a user's body. An example of acupressure points in a user's palate 40is shown in FIG. 7, with apparatus 20 shown in the predeterminedposition in FIG. 8.

In some examples, the intraoral acupressure apparatus of the presentdisclosure may be described to have a “passive fit” when in thepredetermined position in the user's mouth because it applies minimalpressure on a person's teeth and/or applies pressure only to the one ormore acupressure points. “Minimal pressure,” when used in the presentdisclosure to describe the passive fit of the apparatus in a person'smouth, refers to pressure that is less or substantially less than thepressure required to maintain and/or retain teeth in a position, such asa desired position following surgery and/or a desired position forrealigning teeth. The intraoral acupressure apparatus may have a passivefit regardless on whether the apparatus is held or maintained in thepredetermined position via wires, clasps, suction, adhesive, cohesion,and/or precision fit.

The intraoral acupressure apparatus of the present disclosure may beused in one or more methods of treating a user. Unless explicitlystated, the method of treating a user may include one or more stepsdescribed in making the apparatus above. Although particular steps arediscussed, other examples of a method of treating a user may add, omit,replace, and/or modify one or more steps. In some examples, the methodmay include making an apparatus from an impression of a palate of auser, and placing a base of the apparatus in a predetermined position inthe user's mouth. The apparatus may include a base configured to conformto the user's palate, the base configured to be removably held, withoutwire hooks or clasps, adjacent to the palate in a predetermined positionrelative to acupressure points located on the user's palate. Theapparatus also may include one or more projections that extend out fromthe base and are configured to contact one or more acupressure points ofthe user's palate when the base is held in the predetermined position.

Making an apparatus from an impression of a user's palate may includeforming an impression of the user's palate, creating a model of the basewith the impression, placing acupressure points on the model (such as bymaking one or more depressions using a drill and/or other suitabledevice), pressing one or more materials (such as clear plastic) on themodel, trimming excess material off, curing/hardening the material(s),removing the apparatus, and/or polishing the apparatus (if needed).Additionally, making an apparatus from an impression of a user's palatemay include making the apparatus such that the base is configured to beremovably held in the predetermined position via a precision fit in theuser's mouth, such as being configured not to contact any side of theuser's teeth other than the lingual sides of one or more of the user'steeth, when the apparatus is held in the predetermined position. Forexample, the apparatus may be made from an impression of a user's palatesuch that the base includes a perimeter portion having a plurality ofdepressions shaped to conform to the lingual sides of one or more of theuser's teeth.

In some examples, the method of treating a user may further includeinspecting the user's palate for one or more pressure points that arenot the one or more acupressure points when the base is removably heldin the predetermined position. This step may be facilitated if the baseis made with one or more materials configured to allow inspection of theuser's palate when the base is removably held in the predeterminedposition (covering most or all of the user's palate).

It is believed that the disclosure set forth herein encompasses multipledistinct inventions with independent utility. While each of theseinventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specificembodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to beconsidered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. Thesubject matter of the disclosure includes all novel and non-obviouscombinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features,functions and/or properties disclosed herein.

Applicant reserves the right to submit claims directed to certaincombinations and subcombinations that are directed to one of thedisclosed inventions and are believed to be novel and non-obvious.Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations offeatures, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed throughamendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in that or arelated application. Such amended or new claims, whether they aredirected to a different invention or directed to the same invention,whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the originalclaims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of theinventions of the present disclosure. Where such claims recite “a” or “afirst” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should beunderstood to include incorporation of one or more such elements,neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

1. An intraoral acupressure apparatus, comprising: a base shaped toconform to a palate of a user, the base configured to be removably heldadjacent to the palate in a predetermined position relative toacupressure points located on the user's palate; and one or moreprojections extending out from the base and configured to contact one ormore acupressure points of the user's palate when the apparatus isremovably held in the predetermined position, wherein the base isconfigured to be removably held in the predetermined position withoutwire hooks or clasps.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base isconfigured to be removably held in the predetermined position via aprecision fit in the user's mouth.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe base is further configured not to contact any side of the user'steeth, other than the lingual sides of one or more of the user's teeth,when the base is removably held in the predetermined position.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the base includes a perimeter portionhaving a plurality of depressions shaped to conform to the lingual sidesof one or more of the user's teeth.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe base is custom made to the palate of the user.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more projections isconfigured to contact an acupressure point that promotes appetitesuppression when the base is removably held in the predeterminedposition.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base is made from oneor more polymer materials.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the baseincludes a surface that faces away from the palate of the user when thebase is removably held in the predetermined position, the surface havingtexture that is configured to facilitate removal of the apparatus fromthe predetermined position.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein thetexture includes a plurality of grooves.
 10. A method of treating auser, comprising: making an apparatus from an impression of a palate ofa user, the apparatus including: a base configured to conform to theuser's palate, the base configured to be removably held, without wirehooks or clasps, adjacent to the palate in a predetermined positionrelative to acupressure points located on the palate of the user, andone or more projections that extend out from the base and are configuredto contact one or more acupressure points of the user's palate when thebase is held in the predetermined position, and placing the base in thepredetermined position in the user's mouth.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein making an apparatus from an impression of a palate of a userincludes making the apparatus such that the base is configured to beremovably held in the predetermined position via a precision fit in theuser's mouth.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein making the apparatussuch that the base is configured to be removably held in thepredetermined position via a precision fit in the user's mouth includesmaking the apparatus such that the base is configured not to contact anyside of the user's teeth, other than the lingual sides of one or more ofthe user's teeth, when the apparatus is held in the predeterminedposition.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein making the apparatus suchthat the base is configured not to contact any side of the user's teeth,other than the lingual sides of one or more of the user's teeth, whenthe apparatus is held in the predetermined position includes making theapparatus such that the base includes a perimeter portion having aplurality of depressions shaped to conform to the lingual sides of oneor more of the user's teeth.
 14. The method of claim 10, making anapparatus from an impression of a palate of a user includes forming animpression of the user's palate and creating a model of the base withthe impression.
 15. The method of claim 10, where the base is made ofone or more materials configured to allow inspection of the user'spalate when the base is removably held in the predetermined position,further comprising inspecting the user's palate for one or more pressurepoints that are not the one or more acupressure points when the base isremovably held in the predetermined position.
 16. An intraoralacupressure apparatus, comprising: a base configured to conform to auser's palate, the base being further configured to be inserted into theuser's mouth and placed adjacent to the user's palate such that at leasta substantial portion of the user's palate is covered, wherein the baseincludes a perimeter that is shaped to conform to the inner surfaces ofthe user's teeth to secure the base to the user's palate; and at leastone projection from the base configured to extend into and contact oneor more acupressure points of the user's palate, wherein the base isconfigured not to contact any side of the user's teeth, other than thelingual sides of one or more of the user's teeth, when the base isplaced adjacent to the user's palate.
 17. The intraoral acupressureapparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is free from any wires orclasps.
 18. The intraoral acupressure apparatus of claim 16, wherein thebase is free from any apertures.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16, whereinthe base is custom made to the user's palate.
 20. The apparatus of claim16, wherein at least one of the one or more projections is configured tocontact an acupressure point that promotes appetite suppression when thebase is adjacent to the user's palate.